Friday, November 2, 2018

Feed Your Writing Creativity in Five Easy Bites

No doubt there will be a lot of feasting happening later this month, so today I’m serving up five bite-sized morsels to fill your creativity tank. The turkey and dressing will just have to wait!

1. Keep Inspirational Quotes in View every Day

In last month’s post, I shared how toCreate Our own Dream Collage. Using the same idea, add a twist by filling a smaller poster board with quotes from Pinterest, magazines, etc. Put the quote-filled board inside your closet door, or on the interior cabinet that leads to your sanity-in-a-mug. Inspiring quotes pack a powerful punch despite their size. Here are four favorites:

“The call to creativity is the call to worship.” -Michael Card

“A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something.” -Frank Capra

“The writer who possesses the creative gift owns something of which he is not always master—something that at times strangely wills and works for itself.” -Charlotte Bronte

“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” -Maya Angelou

2. Rest to Do Your Best

Recently, my creative wheels spun in mud of my own making. After weeks of gaining traction on several writing projects, my brain suddenly refused to budge. I needed rest. I began adding margin to my schedule for catnaps (I’m not allergic to these), frittering away in my favorite magazines, and most importantly, shutting down for the Sabbath.

The rhythm of work and rest seems to help us function more purposefully and energetically, living in the responsive obedience to the pattern God designed for us.Lynne M. Baab

3. Go Shopping

Being an office supply nerd, I confess the following idea made me a tad giddy. Thank you, Julia Cameron.

Go to a stationery store. Give yourself time to stroll the aisles. What appeals to you? Do you want classic ivory stationery, or do you want something more zany? Your choice of note card sends a signal telling the world what kind of person you are, formal or casual, decorous or frivolous. Stationery makes a first impression. If you have it, you will use it. -Julia Cameron

We feed our creativity by offering it to others, say in the form of a note or letter. Keeping Julia’s idea in mind, shop for stationery that represents your personality and then take the opportunity to write someone who either fed your creativity along the way, or championed your love for writing. Perhaps someone else comes to mind that simply needs your encouragement. No one says it better than you.

4. Sketch

In Scribbling in the Sand, Michael Card challenges readers to consider the different sanctuaries where they’ve worshiped. Which space best expressed the beauty of the Lord and drew your heart toward him, and why? Now pretend you have the job of designing a church sanctuary. How would you make it reflect the beauty of the Creator? Sketch out some plans and don’t worry about the quality of your artwork.

“From the old lady who fills a page with doodling as she talks on the phone, to the man who welds dinosaurs in the middle of the desert out of wrecked car parts, all around us are examples of this mysterious, powerful urge to create, to be creative, to live out or somehow respond to the beauty of our creative Father. We are driven to create at this deep wordless level of the soul because we are all fashioned in the image of God who is an Artist.” – Michael Card

5. Respond

When remembering what we’re thankful for this Thanksgiving month, let’s not forget the gift of creativity. Because Michael Card says it best yet again:

Creativity is not about me. It is not about you. It is not us somehow acting like little gods, creating our own in the same way God creates. The most we can hope for is to respond appropriately and creatively to who God is and what he means. – Michael Card

Cathy Baker is an award-winning writer and author of Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Beachas well as Pauses for the Vacationing Soul: A Sensory-Based Devotional Guide for the Mountains. Cathy is a Hope*Writer and Bible teacher who has taught numerous studies and workshops over the past twenty-five years. Her work has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, The Upper Room, and Focus on the Family’s Thriving Family. She is a monthly contributor to The Write Conversation; Writer’s Digest 101 Top Websites for Writers. She and her husband, Brian, live in the foothills of the Carolinas with a beautiful view of Glassy Mountain and a soon-to-be tiny house.

To connect with Cathy, visit The Tiny House on the Hill@ https://www.cathybaker.org. Become a part of the THH community and receive a free gift, “10 {Tiny} Prayers that Offer Great Hope.”The tiny prayers included in this pocket-sized publication might just surprise you!

I can't either, Jann -- but when I use a pencil and a cheap notebook I'm surprised by what shows up on a page. It's for your eyes only. If you don't want to try, simply imagine the sanctuary! Thanks for sharing!

It may not be cool, but I have a date with my creativity for Monday. In honor of Fall Break, I have 4 days off: a day to clean, a day to rest, a day to create, and a day to grade papers. But I love that unknowingly, you’ve written me a permission slip.

All great recommendations! I especially love the quote idea - God has been showing me the power of words and how much it influences my beliefs and actions. Thank you for an insightful and helpful post.